1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved hose adapter and an assembly incorporating the same, and more specifically, it relates to such apparatus, wherein a vacuum assembly for use in an animal grooming apparatus, as well as numerous other uses, is provided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known to use various forms of handheld, unpowered tools in grooming animals, including domestic animals, such as dogs and cats. At the simplest level, handheld brushes and combs are employed. Similarly, cutting devices to trim animal hair without damaging the animal have been known.
It has also been known to employ handheld, rake-type devices to manually gather loose hair of animals after which hand withdrawal of the hair from the rake and discarding of the hair has been performed. See generally U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,846.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/113,427 entitled “Vacuum Rake for Animal Grooming and Associated Vacuum System” discloses a manually-held raking device, which has a tubular handle adapted to be connected to a vacuum source. This results in the hair being freed by the rake under the influence of a vacuum being withdrawn from the rake teeth or blades and being delivered to the vacuum source. This eliminates the need for manual withdrawal of the hair from the rake.
Inherent in such systems is the need to provide suitable tubing to connect the handheld grooming device with the vacuum source such that the vacuum source can draw the freed hair away from the grooming tool and into the desired storage region with subsequent disposal being provided for. Such systems require effective coupling between the connecting hose and the grooming tool on the one hand and the vacuum source and the hose on the other.
There remains a need for an improved hose adapter and related assembly for providing efficient communication between a vacuum source and a tool or other device, wherein suction is to be applied with an air hose connecting the same.